water to be poured on the ground: 1 (jar)
The place where offerings are to be presented to the deceased is ritually purified, so as to cleanse it of possible evil.

burning incense: once
Incense is to be burnt as an additional way of cleansing the room.

festival perfume: 1 (jar)
First of the seven sacred oils employed for purification. A dry aromatic substance containing bitumen, fir seeds, frankincense and flowers. Possibly mixed with oil to create a thick ointment.

hekenu oil: 1 (jar)
Second of the seven sacred oils. Natural oil containing wood pitch, frankincense and acacia flowers.

sefeti oil: 1 (jar)
Third of the seven sacred oils. Scented, semi-liquid fir oil.

nekhenem oil: 1 (jar)
Fourth of the seven sacred oils. Contained wood pitch, pine and bitumen.

tuaut oil: 1 (jar)
Fifth of the seven sacred oils. Contained wood pitch, frankincense and pine.

facial cedar oil: 1 (jar)
Sixth of the seven sacred oils. Unguent for the face, containing wood pitch, bitumen, fir seeds, and flowers.

facial Libyan oil: 1 (jar)
Last of the seven sacred oils. Unguent for the face, composed of wood pitch, fir-oil and flowers.

green eye-paint: 1 (pouch)
Eye-paint made from powdered malachite, used also medicinally as a preventative or cure for eye infections.

black eye-paint: 1 (pouch)
Kohl, prepared with sulphide of lead or galena, used as eyeliner. Also considered medically preventative.

cloth: 2 (pieces)
Lengths of cloth, sometimes with a fringe at the ends. Possibly for drying the hands after purification.

burning incense: once
More cleansing before the food is presented.

libation with natron: 2 pellets
Natron pellets mixed with water used for purification.

an offering table
Offering table formed of a circular tray placed on a stand. The determinative shows bread slices on top.

a royal offering: twice
This denotes the entire funerary offering, made possible through the king’s grace. The individual items are listed hereafter. The offerings were to be presented in front of the false door(s) inside the tomb.

a royal offering (in) the forecourt: twice
An offering, through the king’s grace, in the forecourt of the tomb, where there would be a special niche for the purpose.

Be seated!
The deceased is invited to sit down at his offering meal.

breakfast: a shenes loaf

breakfast: a beer jar

tut bread: 1 (loaf)
Bread made from barley, in a conical loaf.

reteh bread: 1 (loaf)
Also translated as ‘baker’s bread’, in a rounded loaf.

strong ale: 1 (jar)

khenemes beer: 1 (jar)

serving of bread and beer: 1 bowl
Ritual entry of the ceremony of serving food and drink.

meal of a shenes loaf and a beer jar

leg of beef: 1 bowl

water: 2 bowls
Some inscriptions explicitly identify the vessels as a set of ewer and basin for handwashing.

natron: 2 bowls
This is a type of salt dissolved in water to make a purifying solution.

breakfast: a shenes loaf and a beer jar

tut bread: 1 (loaf)
Bread made from barley, in a conical loaf.

reteh bread: 1 (loaf)
Also translated as ‘baker’s bread’, in a rounded loaf.

hetja bread: 2 (loaves)
A conical bread loaf, typically offered in pairs.

neher bread: 2 (loaves)
A conical bread loaf, typically offered in pairs.

depeti bread: 4 (loaves)
A conical bread loaf, typically offered in groups of 4.

pesen bread: 4 (loaves)
Round loaves, typically offered in groups of 4.

shenes bread: 4 (loaves)
Large conical loaf, typically standing in a dish, but in this case shown alone.

country bread: 4 (loaves)
These were flat loaves.

khenefu cakes: 4 bowls
Small cakes served in bowls, possibly sweetened.

hebennut cakes: 4 (bowls)
Small round cakes or loaves.

wheat bread: 4 (loaves)
Large loaves made of wheat flour.

idat bread placed behind (you): 4 (loaves)
Four round loaves were placed behind the deceased or behind his statue for magical protection, possibly to distract evil spirits who might attack from behind.

pat bread: 4 (loaves)
A type of bread, originally used specifically for offerings. The name may refer to ‘primeval times’.

roasted bread: 4 (loaves)
A flat loaf. ‘Roasted’ may here refer to toasting or double baking.

onions: 4 bowls
White onions, possibly spring onions, leeks, or even garlic. Some spellings show the onions as bunches, and it is usually indicated that the onions were presented in bowls.

ox foreleg: 1 (in a bowl)
This was cut from the living ox and often appears in images of the offering table. This offering features predominantly in the Opening of the Mouth ritual.

ox femur: 1 (in a bowl)
This joint of meat was probably veal.

kidney: 1

leg of beef: 1 (in a bowl)

ribs of beef: 1 (in a bowl)
This denotes the entire set of ribs.

roasted meat: 1
This general term introduces the next four itemised entries. Unlike the cuts of meat, the determinative hieroglyph indicates that these are smaller portions of flesh.

liver: 1

spleen: 1

ha flesh: 1
Possibly the lungs.

flesh of the forepart: 1

ser goose: 1 (in bowl)
Large, heavily built bird.

tjerep goose: 1 (in bowl)
Large, heavily built bird.

zet duck: 1 (in bowl)
Perhaps a female pintailed duck.

ser duck: 1 (in bowl)
Possibly a teal.

pigeon: 1 (in bowl)

hot bread: 1 (loaf)
Loaf of varying shape, or more likely a cake.

shat cake: 2 (loaves)
Tall, narrow, conical cake, possibly made with dates and honey.

nepat cakes: 2 bowls
Small cakes typically presented in bowls.

mezet cakes: 2 bowls
Small cakes typically presented in bowls, made from corn.

strong ale: 2 bowls

milky ale: 2 cups

khenemes beer: 2 bowls

beer: 2 bowls
One of the oldest objects in the offering list.

sekhepet beer: 2 bowls
A type of beer.

pekha drink: 2 bowls
Possibly a beer.

sesher beer: 2 jars

figs: 2 bowls
Dried figs. In later times, this entry came to be re-interpreted as a drink made from figs.

wine: 2 cups
Interestingly, this row mentions wine three times without specifying the types, as is typically done.

abesh wine jars: 2
The type of wine is not specified. The jar is protected by basket-work woven around the middle. Some scholars have suggested that ‘abesh’ should be translated as ‘bubbling’, and so this would be a sparkling wine.

wine: 2 bowls
Interestingly, this row mentions wine three times without specifying the types, as is typically done.

wine: 2 bowls
Interestingly, this row mentions wine three times without specifying the types, as is typically done.

hebennut cakes: 2 bowls
Small round cakes or loaves.

khenefu cakes: 2 bowls
Small cakes served in bowls, possibly sweetened.

ished fruit: 2 bowls
It is debated whether the term denotes a specific type of fruit (and its tree) or is a general term for fruit (and fruit trees).

white corn: 2 bowls
Perhaps some sort of dough or cereal grains.

green corn: 2 bowls
Perhaps some sort of dough or cereal grains.

parched wheat: 2 bowls

parched barley: 2 bowls

babat grain: 2 bowls

ziziphus fruit: 2 bowls
Also known today as the jujube.

ziziphus fruit cakes: 2 bowls
Scholars are not sure if the bread is made from ground jujube mixed with flour or is more like modern fruitcake.

carob beans: [2 bowls]

all [sweet] things: [1 bowl]

all vegetables: [2 bowls]
This literally translates to ‘all fresh things’.

heneket-offering: 1 bowl
This offering involved a box containing drinks but also foods, principally haunches of beef and (as shown here) roast geese.